Franklin ban one of a kind, experts say

The Franklin High football program received the most severe sanctions ever levied by the Sac-Joaquin Section last week.

Jagdip Dhillon

The Franklin High football program received the most severe sanctions ever levied by the Sac-Joaquin Section last week.

Several statewide and national high school sports experts believe they also are the most severe penalties ever handed to a high school sports program.

The section reported 54 violations of California Interscholastic Federation bylaws involving the recruitment of 10 American Samoan football players dating to 2005. The penalties include a five-year playoff ban and forfeiture of San Joaquin Athletic Association games through the 2011 season.

"The depth of the violations go much farther than a slap on the hand," Sac-Joaquin Section commissioner Pete Saco said.

The section's ruling has spurred debate. Some believe the punishment was justified, while others feel the penalties went too far as students enrolled in elementary and middle school will be affected.

Dave Krider has covered high school sports for 46 years, including 18 as the prep editor at USA Today. Krider, who writes for maxpreps.com, a national high school sports Web site, said the Franklin penalty trumps others he has seen.

"I'm stunned by the time of the penalty. It's the biggest thing I've seen happen," Krider said. "It sounds like a college thing."

Jim Halley, USA Today's current prep editor, said the Franklin decision reminded him of the death penalty the Southern Methodist University football program received from the NCAA in 1987. The program was found guilty of paying players.

John Gillis, assistant director of the National Federation of State High School Associations, said increased interest in prep sports over the past decade has brought on problems previously seen at the professional and college levels.

"The increased exposure of high school sports has to do with it," Gillis said. "Things filter down to our level from the pros and colleges."

Mark Tennis of Stockton has covered high school sports in California for more than 30 years and is the editor of calhisports.com. He believes the stiffest penalty previously given to a California high school football team was the three-year playoff ban Salinas High received in 2005 from the Central Coast Section. Some of the athletes used fake addresses in order to play football at the school. The final year of the ban was lifted this year because the school complied with the conditions of the sanction.

"(Saco's) trying to make a statement that isn't being sent by the Franklin administration," said Pete Schroeder, an assistant professor of sports sciences at University of the Pacific. "He's sending a message that's going to be received for a long time. Significant violations demand a significant penalty."

Stockton Unified School District is seeking a temporary restraining order and has a hearing on Oct. 31 in Superior Court. SUSD officials have stood behind Franklin and football coach Tom Verner. The school can appeal the ruling through the CIF.